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developed with no sign of being snipey or weak. Bite- A scissor bite is preferred. A level bite is acceptable. Neck, Topline, Body: Neck - Length of neck is in proportion to the head. Strong, arched along the crest and dry, the neck blends smoothly into the flat shoulder blades. Topline - Smooth and blending from the back through the loin and set of the tail. Body - The body is compact, strong and flexible with well sprung ribs. The brisket extends to the elbow. When viewed from the front, the ribs appear to be oval. The Rat Terrier, while muscled and fit, has flat muscles that blend into the body. The chest is moderately wide and well filled with a discernible forechest. The underline ascends gradually with the ribs extending well back to a moderate tuck- up. Back - The back is level and firm from the withers to the loin. The short loin has a slight muscular arch blending into the gently rounded croup. Tail - The tail set is a continuation of the spine. Tails are customarily docked between the second and third joint, or can be a natural bobtail or left naturally long and tapering to the hock joint. Length is unimportant. The carriage is variable depending on attitude, carried from slightly below horizontal to almost erect, but not over the back or a ring tail. Forequarters: The shoulder blades are well laid back with flat muscles providing enough space between the shoulder blades to allow for free movement. The shoulder blades and the upper arms are nearly equal in length and well set back so that the elbows fall directly under the highest point of the shoulder blade. The depth of the body at the elbow is the same distance as from the elbow to the ground. The forelegs stand straight and parallel with elbows turning neither in nor out. The pasterns are slightly sloping when viewed from the side. The feet are oval in shape. The toes turn neither in nor out, are compact, moderately arched, with thick pads and strong nails. The front dewclaws may be removed. Hindquarters: The hindquarters are muscular but smooth and in balance with the forequarters. They should not be bulging or coarse. Stifles are well-bent with short hocks that are parallel and perpendicular to the ground. The hind feet although slightly smaller are similar to the front feet. Rear dewclaws are removed. Coat: Short, close lying, smooth and shiny coat. Texture varies; a very slight ruff or wave along the back is allowed, but undesirable. Any suggestion of kink or curl is cause for disqualification. Whiskers must not be removed. Absence of coat (total genetic hairlessness) is a disqualification. Color: Any variation of pied patterning is acceptable. Pied is described as comparatively large patches of one or more colors in combination with white. Except for the "solid white" extreme piebald dog with only mottled/spotted skin. Disqualification - Rat Terriers are never a solid ground color without white markings, or bi-colored without one color being white. Acceptable colors with or without "tan points", include the predominate black, or chocolate, red, apricot, blue, fawn, tan, lemon, or white. Intense, dark shades of color with clearly defined and delineated coloration is preferred. White on the body is preferred to be between 10 percent and 90 percent, but all patterns; spotted, patched or splashed with white in conjunction with (or without) any combination of white on the face, head or ears are equally acceptable without
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